Police: Thief steals donation box from Wilton church

Police are searching for this man, who they say stole a donation box containing about $100 from Our Lady of Fatima Church on Danbury Road.

Police are searching for this man, who they say stole a donation box containing about $100 from Our Lady of Fatima Church on Danbury Road.

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Police are searching for this man, who they say stole a donation box containing about $100 from Our Lady of Fatima Church on Danbury Road.

Police are searching for this man, who they say stole a donation box containing about $100 from Our Lady of Fatima Church on Danbury Road.

Police: Thief steals donation box from Wilton church

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WILTON — On Tuesday, March 9, the Wilton Police Department received a complaint of a larceny from Our Lady of Fatima Church at 229 Danbury Road.

According to police, a donation box containing about $100 in cash was taken from the church sometime between March 6 and March 8, and surveillance video was reviewed that showed a possible suspect in the area of the missing donation box on March 6 acting suspiciously.

Police describe the suspect as a white male, 40 to 50 years of age, 5-foot-8 in height, medium build, with olive complexion, and gray (salt-and-pepper) hair.

At the time of the incident, the suspect was wearing a green jacket and blue sweatpants with a stripe down the side, police said.

Capt. John Lynch of the Wilton Police Department said the donation box was just inside the door of the sanctuary, where prayer candles are ready to be lit in memory of loved ones as money is donated into the box.

Lynch said because churches traditionally remain largely unlocked, they have been target of thieves over the years, including a serial robber in the Tri-State area some 20 years ago.

“We’ve had people go around and prey on churches — no pun intended,” Lynch said. “There’s nothing like that in town we’ve heard of recently, maybe because churches have started to secure their doors. Our Lady of Fatima obviously has a surveillance system.”

Lynch said the suspect talked with parishioners, but did not threaten anyone and did not brandish or mention a weapon.

“As the investigation has progressed, it does look like the suspect in the surveillance footage is the guy who took the money,” Lynch said.

The Wilton Police Department is asking anyone with information on this incident to contact the WPD at (203) 834-6260. All calls are kept confidential.